Module 8: Diving into Nouns - Lesson 8.6: Singular and Plural Nouns - Irregular Plurals

Module 8: Diving into Nouns - Lesson 8.6: Singular and Plural Nouns - Irregular Plurals

Lesson 8.6: Singular and Plural Nouns - Irregular Plurals

Welcome to Lesson 8.6! In this lesson, we will explore Irregular Plurals. Unlike regular plurals that follow predictable rules (as we saw in Lesson 8.5), irregular plurals are formed in various ways that do not conform to the standard patterns. These plural forms often need to be memorized, as they don't follow a consistent set of rules based on the singular noun's ending. Understanding irregular plurals is vital for accurate and natural English.

What are Irregular Plurals? - Breaking the Rules

Irregular plurals are plural forms of nouns that do not follow the regular '-s', '-es', or '-ies' rules. Instead, they change in different ways, sometimes involving vowel changes, completely different words, or no change at all from the singular form.

Common Types of Irregular Plurals:

While there isn't one simple rule for all irregular plurals, we can categorize them into some common types:

  1. Vowel Change Plurals (Internal Vowel Change):

    For some nouns, the plural is formed by changing a vowel sound within the word, rather than adding an ending.

    Examples - Vowel Change Plurals:

    • Singular: man -> Plural: men (vowel change from /æ/ to /e/)
    • Singular: woman -> Plural: women (vowel change from /ʊ/ to /ɪ/)
    • Singular: foot -> Plural: feet (vowel change from /ʊ/ to /iː/)
    • Singular: tooth -> Plural: teeth (vowel change from /uː/ to /iː/)
    • Singular: goose -> Plural: geese (vowel change from /uː/ to /iː/)
    • Singular: mouse -> Plural: mice (vowel change and ending change - /aʊ/ to /aɪ/, and '-se' to '-ce')
    • Singular: louse -> Plural: lice (vowel change and ending change - /aʊ/ to /ɪ/, and '-se' to '-ce')

    Examples in Sentences:

    • "Several men and women attended the conference."
    • "My feet are tired after walking all day."
    • "Brush your teeth twice a day."
    • "A flock of geese flew overhead."
    • "Mice are small rodents often found in houses."
    • "Lice are small parasitic insects."
  2. '-en' Plurals (Archaic Plural Ending):

    A very small group of nouns form their plurals by adding '-en' or '-ren'. This is an older form of pluralization, and these are now exceptions.

    Examples - '-en' Plurals:

    • Singular: child -> Plural: children ('-ren' ending)
    • Singular: ox -> Plural: oxen ('-en' ending)
    • Singular: brother-> Plural: brethren (archaic/formal, 'brothers' is more common in modern English for family, 'brethren' used for members of a religious group or male colleagues in some contexts).
    • Singular: sister-> Plural: sistren (very archaic, almost never used now, 'sisters' is standard).

    Examples in Sentences:

    • "Many children were playing in the park."
    • "Farmers used oxen to pull heavy carts in the past."
    • "The brethren of the monastery gathered for prayer." (Formal/religious